Escape the Nightmare
by Kyarorain
Summary: Ash wakes up to find himself in a room he has never seen before. The situation is only about to get even worse.


**Escape the Nightmare**

* * *

This fic is rather dark and disturbing, so be cautious when reading. There is some minor violence, but the wanring is mostly for gory imagery. Poor Ash is getting tortured and it's not going to be a fun ride, not at all.

Pokémon is owned by Game Freak and Nintendo.

* * *

It was incredibly hot and stuffy in the room. The thin sheet wrapped over my body clung to my sticky, sweaty body, as did my clothes. Why didn't somebody open a window? Perhaps I was the first one to wake up. Hard to think Dawn or Brock could still be asleep in this stuffy heat.

There was a soft buzzing noise by my ear and a moment later I felt something small and ticklish land on my face. I brought up my hand to wave away the annoying insect and its presence quickly disappeared.

It was very quiet. I couldn't even hear the soft sound of Pikachu breathing that I was so accustomed to hearing every night as we slept side by side. I rolled onto my side and reached out with a hand to find Pikachu.

There was only empty space where my buddy should have been, which struck me as odd. Where could Pikachu have gone? I finally opened my eyes and got a good look at the room. Immediately, I knew that I had never seen this room before and my heart began beating faster as panic took hold of me.

The light was on but it was so weak that I hadn't been aware of it until I opened my eyes. It was at least bright enough that I could make out the contents of the room and I sat up to get a good look around. There was only one bed in the room; the one that I had found myself lying on. A desk was up against the wall, with a chair. There was a closet as well. I noticed the lack of a window, which struck me as odd, but it was hardly the most worrying thing. No, it was the fact I had woken up to find myself in an unfamiliar room.

How had I ended up here? My mind was kind of fuzzy. It was difficult to remember the last thing that had happened. Had I gone to bed? Was it at the Pokémon Center? While I was lying there with my eyes closed, I had just assumed that's where I was. Had we been camping out? Where were Brock and Dawn and Pikachu?

The stifling heat did nothing to ease the chill spreading through my body. I wrapped my arms around myself and bit down on my bottom lip. This was completely unlike any situation I had found myself in before. What was I doing here alone? What had happened to everyone?

My bag wasn't here and neither were my Poké Balls. Rats. Maybe this was one of Team Rocket's plots to get away with stealing our Pokémon.

No. That couldn't be right. This was just much too absurd for Team Rocket. Somebody else had to be behind this and I was going to find out, once I had found my friends. Whoever is doing this, they definitely wouldn't be getting away with this. Pikachu, don't worry. I'm coming to save you, wherever you are.

I got out of bed and walked toward the only door in the room. Luckily, it wasn't locked and was even slightly open. That did seem a bit strange. If I had been kidnapped, how come the kidnapper had practically left the door wide open? Well, I shouldn't be complaining, should I? It just made escaping much easier. Maybe the kidnapper wasn't the brightest tool in the toolbox. He could just have forgotten, right? I forget things all the time after all. It's not that unlikely.

I stepped out of the room to find myself in a hallway with red brick walls. The lights flickered rapidly, occasionally plunging me into complete darkness. I turned and started down the hallway, coming to another door. Hoping that I would find Brock or Dawn behind the door, I tried to open it only to discover that it wouldn't budge.

So I banged on the door with my fists instead. "Brock! Dawn!" I shouted loudly. "Is anybody in there? Hey!" Only silence greeted my shouts and I eventually stopped. Maybe there wasn't anyone in that room after all.

They were here too, right? I just needed to find them. Once we were all together, we could get out of this place. I also hoped to find Pikachu, but I doubted it would be in a room all by itself. The kidnapper had probably made different arrangements for Pikachu. I hoped there wherever it was, it was safe and well.

The next door was locked, as was the one after that. Eventually, I did find a door that opened and stepped into a bathroom. The tiled floor was grimy with dirt and the shower curtain was covered with brown spots. A faint, rusty smell hung in the air and I made a face. It wasn't a pleasant smell. This bathroom was absolutely filthy.

I caught sight of myself in the mirror for a moment, my eyes briefly lingering over the reflection of my pale face. I did look a bit spooked, but that was no surprise. This place was already starting to creep me out. I looked at the shower curtain that hung low over the side of the bathtub, unable to tear my gaze away from the brown spots. Just what were those spots supposed to be? Maybe I should have turned around then and left quickly, but my curiosity led me to take a better look. I held my breath and approached the bathtub, reaching out to take hold of the shower curtain. The metal rings at the top made a loud scraping sound as I pushed the curtain aside.

Immediately, I wished that I hadn't bothered. I stared at the large brown stains that ran along the bath. That strange brown stuff was even covering the walls. Immediately, I realised what it reminded me of. Dried blood.

I backed out of that bathroom and slammed the door. My body was shaking and I felt dizzy with shock. There had been so much blood in that bath. Could somebody have lost that much blood and still managed to live? I severely doubted it. My eyes were filling with tears and my face grew hot.

Whoever had kidnapped us was a crazy psycho. If we didn't get out of here, then they could kill us. Brock... Dawn... Pikachu... they had to still be alive. They couldn't already be...

No. I had to believe they were all still safe and I had a chance to save them. I forced back the lump in my throat and kept walking through the hallway, trying to forget the terrifying sight in the bathroom. It wasn't easy though. In fact, it was very, very hard not to think about it.

When I saw another door that was slightly ajar, I thought maybe Dawn or Brock would be there and hurriedly pushed it open only to see that the room within was not a bedroom, but a kitchen. There was another door, this one wide open, at the opposite side of the kitchen.

I could hear a loud, intense buzzing and looked toward the sink. Little black dots swarmed everywhere. I hardly dared to look and see what was in the sink after my earlier scare. The foul smell invading my nose suggested that something was rotting. Perhaps it was meat that had been left there and gone off over time. I didn't really feel like checking.

Instead, I made my way through the kitchen to the other door. At the other side of the door, I saw tables and chairs lined up. Had a lot of people lived in this place at one time? There was a single plate of food on the table and even that had a foul smell. As I came closer, I saw that the food had barely been touched. Not only that, but it was covered with what looked suspiciously like vomit.

My stomach started to churn and I hurriedly backed out of there, turning and leaving the kitchen. This place was getting even weirder and scarier by the minute. I couldn't wait to find my friends and get out of here.

There were two doors left to check. At the end of the hallway was a solid wall. After my previous scares, I wasn't too keen on blindly looking around anymore but I needed to find everybody. Had they not woken up yet?

Unless... I was the only one here. Suddenly, I felt chilly again. The thought of being the only one in this creepy house was not a pleasant one. I didn't want to be alone in a place like this.

I opened one door and immediately gagged as a rotting smell flooded my mouth and nose. In the gloom, I could make out what appeared to be assorted types of food left on the shelves. Most of it seemed to have gone bad. I closed the door again and leaned against it, closing my eyes and listening to the sound of my heavy breathing.

This place was so weird. Why was there dried blood in the bath? What was with the food that had gone off and that untouched plate covered in vomit? Somebody must not have been down here in a while, except of course to put me in that room. Why would they put me in a place like this? None of it was making any sense.

I steeled myself and went to open the next door. It was dark in there as well and I brushed my hand against the wall to find a switch. As I pressed it, the light came on.

There were tools scattered all over a shelf. A crowbar, a spanner, a hammer, typical stuff you would find in a toolbox. An axe was propped up against the wall. As I stepped closer, my mouth grew dry.

Brown stains. Just like in the bath. Everything in here was covered in the same brown spots.

I clapped a hand over my mouth to stifle the scream that threatened to burst out. My body was shaking again and I took a step back.

People had been murdered down here. Their blood was all over these tools. As for that plate covered in vomit... I saw a bottle out the corner of my eye, stashed in the corner. Poison.

My foot snagged upon something on the floor and I stumbled, looking down to see coils of rope carelessly left lying on the floor.

Rope... used to tie people up? Or to kill them? I really didn't want to know. I just wanted to get out of here.

_I'm so scared._

_Pikachu... where are you?_

_Brock? Dawn?_

_I don't want to be alone. I wish you guys were here, telling me it was okay and we would get out of here. I really need it right now._

Sweat was dripping down my neck. I reached up and wiped it away, turning around toward the door.

Then I noticed a leather pouch attached to the wall with nails. Inside that pouch, I could see wooden handles poking out. Knives. I knew if I took one out, I would find more blood on its blade. They must have been used to kill, just like everything else in this room.

Just before I went to leave the room, a thought occured to me. The locked doors... maybe I could break them down. I reluctantly looked at the axe, unable to tear my gaze from the dark blotches. I really didn't want to pick it up. It was stained with the blood of people who had been murdered by some crazy psychopath.

I needed to check inside those rooms though. Perhaps the way out of here was behind one of those doors. I needed to check. So I picked up the axe, shuddering as I did so. I walked out of the room, heading back to one of the locked doors. Then I raised the axe and repeatedly slammed it against the door. It didn't take long for the door to give way and swing open for me.

It was dark inside. I hastily flipped the switch and regretted it right away. There was blood covering every inch of the room. It stained the sheets of the bed and formed large puddles on the floor. There were red handprints all over the walls and floor. I could see smudged red letters scrawled on the wall. They read "I don't want to die." It took a while for me to realise that scream ringing in my ears was mine.

This was all just too much. I'd had enough of having to see such horrible things and wanted nothing more than to escape this place. I didn't know how much more of this I could take.

I backed out of the room, looking toward the next locked door. Was there another nasty surprise waiting behind the door? Or a way out? I reluctantly brought up the axe again and smashed the door open.

I stepped into the room and flicked the light switch, holding my breath.

A reclining chair sat in the center of the room. Handcuffs were attached to the armrests. There was blood splattered on the floor, maybe even on the chair itself. The dark colour of the chair made it hard to tell.

The counter was stained brown and covered in grime. The sink was filthy. I could see a bloody scalpel lying next to the sink.

Beakers and jars lined the shelves, filled with different coloured liquids. I spotted a clear plastic box containing syringes and shuddered.

My attention was then drawn to a pair of surgical gloves, stained with blood. Someone must have been playing doctor in this room, in the most sick and twisted way possible.

Red hot anger bubbled up inside me and I clenched my fists. Nobody has the right to take anyone else's life. How could someone treat people in this way? It was just sickening. I swore then that I was going to find whoever did this and teach them a lesson. They would be sorry that they had kidnapped me. I turned and walked out of the door, picking the axe up again and went past the door leading to the room where I had woken up earlier.

The next two doors weren't locked so I didn't need to use the axe. One of them led to a bedroom. There was no blood in here, much to my relief. I had seen quite enough of it already. There was nothing of interest in this room, much to my disappointment. I was beginning to think I was the only one here.

Fear crept around my gut and squeezed hard.

Were they already dead?

My legs couldn't hold me up anymore and I fell to my knees. I heard a choked sob come from my throat. My vision became blurry with tears.

_Where is everyone? They can't be dead..._

Hot tears dripped down my cheeks. I gasped between sobs. My nose was starting to block up.

_I can't lose hope._

_They must still be alive somewhere._

_I have to get out of here before that psycho comes and kills me._

_Damn! What am I doing, sitting here and crying like this?_

_I can't help it._

_I've never been this scared before._

Eventually, I began to feel calm again and I wiped my eyes with my arm, sniffing loudly. I needed to hurry up and get moving. There was no time to waste. I just wished Pikachu was here with me. I felt a pang in my chest as I thought of my best friend.

_Pikachu... please be safe. Brock, Dawn, I hope you guys are safe too. I pray nothing has happened to any of you. If you are here, I promise I'll find you._

I left the room and went to try the next door. Inside, I could see chairs arranged around a coffee table. Everything was covered in dust and cobwebs. This room must not have been used in a long time. I closed the door and continued through the hallway, rounding the corner.

Another dead end, and two doors, one which had been left slightly ajar. I approached the open door first, noticing a fly come through the opening. Beyond the door, I could see a tunnel. My heart started beating faster. Perhaps the tunnel led to the exit?

It couldn't be that easy, but still I needed to check. Holding tightly onto the axe, I began walking through the tunnel. Lightbulbs hung from the ceiling, illuminating my way. It was uncomfortably warm and musty in here. Flies kept divebombing me and I had to swat them away constantly. Why were there so many of them?

What was that smell? It was sort of sweet and sickly. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. The further I walked through the tunnel, the worse it got. Now it also smelled sort of rusty and salty. There was another scent on the air, suspiciously like that of the rotting meat.

My gut instinct was screaming at me to stop and turn back, but I couldn't. I had to keep going and find a way out, no matter what.

The smell was getting unbearable. I put a hand over my mouth and nose, struggling to block out the foul stench, but it was useless. My stomach was doing flips and I was in danger of vomiting. Maybe it was a bad idea to keep going.

There were so many flies, swarming around in a thick black cloud. Sweat formed on my skin and my clothes stuck to me. I couldn't take much more of this. That smell was just so awful. It was a hundred times worse than the rotting meat. Just what was it?

There was something blocking the tunnel up ahead. A shifting mound surrounded by flies. I stopped and stared at it.

The mound wasn't moving. It was the maggots crawling all over it.

My eyes fell upon a bony white hand.

The axe clattered to the ground and I turned around.

I ran back the way I had come as fast as I could. My stomach was churning even faster. Bile was rising in my throat so quickly that I couldn't keep it down. I crashed to my knees and kneeled over, opening my mouth to vomit. It gushed out of my mouth and dripped from my nose. A lumpy brownish green puddle formed beneath me, barely visible through the film of tears over my eyes. Even when there was nothing left to throw up I was still retching and heaving furiously.

Why hadn't I listened to my instincts? I should have known I was about to stumble upon the bodies. The smell should have given it away. I was so foolish to keep on going. I never wanted to see such a thing.

Those poor people. Instead of being given a proper burial, they were simply dumped in this tunnel where nobody could find them. Their parents would never know what had happened to their children.

I thought of Mom's smiling face. More than anything, I wanted to feel her arms around me and hear her tell me this was nothing more than a nightmare.

She would be devastated to lose me. I was her only child, her only family.

I couldn't let everyone down.

Pikachu, Mom, Professor Oak, Gary, Misty, Brock, Tracey, May, Max, Dawn, my Pokémon... everybody would be sad if I disappeared and they never saw me again. They would be wondering what had become of me. Nobody would know where my body was. That was, if I ended up joining the people in this tunnel.

There was no way I was going to die.

My resolve hardened and I got up, carefully avoiding the puddle of vomit. I wiped my nose and mouth and hurried out of the tunnel, not wishing to spend another minute in there. Once I was back in the hallway, I went to the last door and opened it.

I was relieved to see a flight of winding stairs before me. It was a little disheartening that I hadn't found anyone else down here, but maybe that meant I was the only one who had been kidnapped. Brock and Dawn might actually be safe after all. That thought made me a bit happier. I wouldn't want my friends to be in a place like this at all.

I raced up the stairs to the top. Suddenly, my foot skidded and went out from underneath me. I was propelled into the air with nothing to stop me from falling backward and hitting the stairs. I desperately reached out and my hand closed around one of the railings. I slammed down hard on the stairs, pain shooting up through my side and my arm. My pulse raced furiously as I lay still, listening to my rapid breathing.

What had happened? That had been no accident. My foot had definitely slipped on something on the stairs. I weakly turned over onto my knees and crawled up a couple of steps until I was looking at the step where I had slipped.

The step was wet and slimy to the touch. There were small bubbles on the surface. Soap? I felt cold inside. This had been done deliberately. If I hadn't been quick enough to grab the railing, I could very well have fallen all the way down and broken my neck.

Whoever kidnapped me and put me in this place had been expecting me to try and escape. There would be further traps lying in wait for me. I looked up to the top of the steps, swallowing heavily. I was going to have to be very, very careful from now on.

I made my way up the staircase slowly and carefully, clinging to the railing all the way. The rest of the steps were untouched and I safely made it to the top. I approached the wooden door before me and reached out to twist the handle. The door yielded easily as I pushed and I stepped through into a corridor. A sickly fluorescent light washed over my surroundings. The air was much cleaner up here and it was cooler too.

I warily padded along the corridor, my fingers brushing against the smooth white walls. My feet made a soft noise as they walked along the wooden floor. I listened intently for any noise but there was none.

The floor moved beneath my feet all of a sudden and I heard something click. Immediately, I dodged sideways, believing that I had accidentally set off a trap. At the same time I dodged, a small and thin object shot through the air right toward me. It sliced my arm as it passed by, embedding itself in the wall with a dull thudding noise. I could see the shaft of an arrow.

If I had not moved when I did, the arrow might have hit me in the chest. I gazed at the bright red blood that welled up from the cut on my upper arm, feeling the now familiar rush of fear. My eyes dropped to the floor, seeing a raised panel. It must have sprung the trap when I stepped on it.

Why hadn't I been more careful? A psychopath wanted me dead. I couldn't afford to be wandering around and not looking where I was going.

I stepped over the panel and kept moving, warily looking around as I slowly walked. I hardly dared to breathe for fear I might trigger another trap. What else had this sick maniac thought of?

I soon found out as my leg snagged against something unseen and a sharp pain shot through it. I jumped back with a gasp and looked down to see a neat tear in my pants. The skin had been torn through and I could see blood.

What had happened? I looked up and stared, swearing that I had just seen something glint. I held my breath and moved closer.

Thin wires had been attached to the walls at different heights across the hallway, precariously close to each other. They had been sharp enough to cut through the leg of my pants. I was going to have to cross these wires and I couldn't possibly afford to screw up here. If I fell over... well, I didn't really want to think about that. I had a pretty good guess of what would happen.

I raised my leg and stepped over the first wire, then I ducked as low as I could to slip underneath the second. The next two wires were located in the same spot, one above the other. There was just enough space for me to pass between them, taking utmost care not to let my legs snag on the second wire as I lifted them over. I passed the next few wires with little difficulty. The last obstacle was a row of wires which I had to painstakingly crawl under. The bottom wire was just an inch above my head and I needed to be extremely careful not to let it touch me.

A minute later, I was clear of the wire and breathed a sigh of relief, then reminded myself that it wasn't over yet. There would be more traps lying in wait for me. I got off the floor, looking back and noticing a trail of blood on the floor where I had to crawl beneath the wires. Blood had spread over my pants leg and it stained my sock. The cut on my leg throbbed slightly.

Already, I had unwittingly walked into three traps. It really weren't looking so good. I had to be ready for anything. The problem was, I didn't have the imagination of a psychopath, which made things just a little bit more difficult.

As I continued walking, I noticed the hallway widen up ahead. The walls and floor in this new section were built entirely of stone. I stepped onto the stone floor and began to move forward. At that moment, I heard a grating, rumbling sound and the floor beneath my feet began to rumble gently.

The walls!

I broke into a sprint, spurred on by the adrenalin rushing inside my body. I could see the end of the stone hallway just up ahead, a little pinprick in the distance. Would I make it in time? There wasn't any time for thinking about it. I just had to run like never before. At a time like this, I was sure I was capable of anything.

My body was aching from the extertion of running so fast without even warming up first. Red hot pain repeatedly stabbed my leg in fresh bursts. Even my chest was starting to ache. I was already starting to grow short of breath because of all the effort I was putting on my body. Dots began swarming wildly before my eyes just like those flies I had seen in that tunnel. I sucked in air, trying to ease the pressure building up in my chest. I was painfully aware of the walls coming in even closer, ready to crush me.

The fear of dying urged me to push my body to its limits as I kept going. I tried not to think about the walls growing ever closer and to just focus on running. There was only a little further to go and I surely could make it if I tried hard enough.

No, I couldn't just try. I needed to make it, no matter what. If I didn't make it to the end and the walls got me, I would be dead. I would suffer an agonising death being crushed like a grape within somebody's fist. There would be no second chances. That would be it. The psychopath would have won.

With just a short distance left to go, I tensed my legs and sprang, leaping clear across the gap. I sailed through the air, hoping that I hadn't messed up and jumped too soon. I crashed to the floor just beyond the walls and listened to the sickening noise of them closing behind me. I lay still, gasping and breathing heavily.

That had been much too close. Worse of all, that trap had probably been an unavoidable one. I didn't know if there had been a way around it or not. Whoever was trying to kill me, they were doing their utmost best.

I weakly got up. My legs were aching and I felt exhausted. That run had taken a lot out of me and it took quite a bit of effort just to stand. I hunched over, clutching onto my knees and groaning. How much more of this could I take?

After a minute or so, I was ready to move on again and wearily moved through the next passage, avoiding the panels on the floor. A row of holes lined the walls. I figured the panels would cause them to fire at me. This was an easy enough trap to avoid. I got the feeling that I was being played with. Perhaps this was meant to lull me into some false sense of security. Something even worse would be waiting for me and I was ready.

At the end of the passage, I stepped into the adjoining hallway and the entire floor shifted beneath me with a loud click. I heard the grinding of something mechanical and looked up in horror to see the entire ceiling break apart.

Immediately, I sprang back just as a giant metal anvil came falling toward me. It crashed into the floor, shattering the wood upon impact and burying itself inside a deep hole. I sank to the floor, staring at the anvil with my mouth hanging open. If I had moved too late, it would have crushed every bone in my body.

I was so shaken that I burst into tears and buried my face in my hands. This was all just too much. My nerves were completely shattered.

"Why are you doing this?" I screamed, as if that psychopath was somewhere listening to me. "Why do you want to kill me? What did I ever do to you?"

Of course, only the dead silence greeted me.

"Just stop... please... stop this..."

Were they watching me somewhere, taking pleasure in watching me struggle to live as I made my way through this deathtrap? I felt sick thinking about it. They probably wanted to see me get caught in one of the traps and die a horrible death right before their eyes, just like all those other people they had killed.

I took a few deep breaths and wiped the tears from my face, staring at the giant anvil right before me. It had landed so close to me that I had felt the rush of air on my face as it fell. I almost died because I couldn't even see the trap right before me. At this rate, I could seriously end up losing my life. I was used to risking my life, but not like this.

I got up and walked past the anvil, shakily approaching the next passage. I had no doubt that there would be another deathtrap waiting for me up ahead. Somebody really wanted me to die. I wondered who they were and if they knew me. Was this personal or simply a sick game? What could I have done to make someone want me dead this much? Probably nothing at all. Crazy people don't always need reasons to do what they do. I doubted the one who put me here had a reason to kill all the people I saw in the tunnel. I was just another potential victim and I swore I would not become one. Alive or dead, I would never return to that tunnel.

There was a carpet running along the floor in the passage, possibly to cover up the panels on the floor. My spirits sank as I thought about all the traps I would have trouble avoiding this time. This was not going to be so easy. I was just going to have to hope that whatever came out of the walls was not lethal. That didn't seem so likely. It occurred to me that running might be safer and so I started running. As I ran along the passage, I heard a grating sound and saw panels on the walls open up.

Something sharply struck me in the side, causing red hot agony to explode where it had hit me. I was knocked off my feet and sent crashing into the wall, where I slowly sank to the floor. Black spots appeared before my eyes and I rapidly blinked, struggling not to pass out from the pain. I took a deep breath and then another, waiting for the pain to subside. I looked down at what had hit me, seeing a large round cannonball.

That cannonball had glanced off the side of my body and still been strong enough to knock me right off my feet and cause me unbelievable pain. It could very nearly have shattered the bones in my body. I didn't think anything was broken luckily. If I received a direct hit from one of those cannonballs, then I probably wouldn't be quite so fortunate.

I licked my lips nervously, wondering what I should do. I looked at the places on the wall where the panels had opened and noticed they were at about the height of my waist. If I crawled to safety, maybe the cannonballs would just fly over my head and I would be fine. It would be worth trying. I didn't want to risk walking or running when I knew those things could seriously damage my body to the point where I couldn't even move.

I started to crawl along the floor, paying no heed to my body's pained protests as I did so. I wasn't going to let a little pain stop me from escaping this hellhole. As I painstakingly made my way through the passage on hands and knees, cannonballs whizzed from the wall mere inches above me. They would smash into the walls and cause them to cave in, making loud crunching noises as they did so. At least those crunches weren't my bones being caved in. It felt like an eternity was spent crawling through the passageway. I was in incredible pain and my body was weak so I had to keep stopping to rest. Still, I kept on going. The will to stay alive urged me to fight for my life and make it to the end. Soon, I did just that.

Now there was a door just up ahead. I immediately got up and walked over to it, placing my hand upon the door's handle.

The second I touched it, the handle released a terrific jolt of electricity that surged straight into my body and I felt an explosion of pain all over me. Amid the sound of the electricity crackling, I could hear myself screaming. I was sent flying back through the air, so dazed that I barely knew what was happening, and before I knew it, my back was on the ground and I was staring up at the ceiling through a dizzying haze of colour. I rapidly blinked to clear my vision. It was a good thing I was so used to getting shocked by Pikachu otherwise that shock might have been a lot worse.

I struggled to my knees, looking around in a daze, and then I noticed another panel near the door. I chastised myself for not noticing it sooner and got up to take a look at it. It easily moved aside in my hands, revealing a switch. I flipped the switch and nothing happened. Hoping it had turned off the electricity to the door, I tentatively reached out and lightly touched the handle with my fingertips.

Nothing. Not even a single spark. I gripped the handle and pushed it down, then pulled the door open.

Beyond the door, I saw more stairs leading upwards. Would these stairs lead me to freedom or more obstacles? There was only one way to find out. I took to the stairs, extra carefully this time since there were no railings, just the walls on either side of the steps. Fortunately, none of the steps had been laid with traps and I made it safely to the top. Maybe the crazy psycho hadn't expected me to get this far.

I stepped beyond the next door and found myself in a spacious hallway. It looked like a normal house, with a staircase going up to the landing overhead and doors leading off to other rooms. I was elated to see the daylight streaming through two windows on either side of what I assumed was the front door. It was just a few steps to freedom and once I was out of this house, I would start running, hoping that psycho wouldn't be pursuing me.

I was about to take a step toward the front door when I heard footsteps. My spirits sank in dismay and I turned to see a man in a suit approach. He had tousled dark hair and cold blue eyes that gave me a chill. His mouth was stretched thinly in what could almost be called a smile.

So this was the person who had trapped me in this house and killed all those people? He seemed oddly normal to me.

"What a surprise, you survived all those traps," the man spoke in a greasy voice like slick oil. "I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised."

"Who are you?" I took a step back, trying to put distance between us.

He watched me for a moment, his eyes glinting. I felt nervous looking at him. Why hadn't I brought something with me, like a weapon? If he tried to kill me then I wouldn't have anything to defend myself with. I felt foolish for not thinking ahead. Then again, could I really bring myself to use a weapon against someone, even a crazy killer? I wasn't sure. If it came to saving my life, well, I wouldn't have had a choice.

Not that any of that mattered when I wasn't even armed.

"You don't know who I am?" he asked, sounding almost surprised. "Have you really forgotten me?"

That was unexpected. I was left reeling in confusion, wondering why the man would expect me to know who he was. I swore that I had never seen the man before in my entire life. He certainly did not look familiar in the least.

The man evidently noticed my confusion and he chuckled dryly. "Well, you have been asleep for a very long time. Perhaps your memories just faded away or you locked them away. I don't know."

I took a step further back, puzzled by his strange words. He wasn't making any sense at all. I had no idea what he was talking about. Had I really been asleep for a very long time? I wasn't really sure how long I had been down there. I felt chilled thinking about it. In the time I was asleep, what could have happened?

"Did you do it on purpose?" the man asked, tilting his head quizzically. "Did you want to forget about all those terrible things you did?"

Why was I even listening to him talk? It wasn't like I had a choice in the matter though. I could tell this man was nothing more than a crazy psycho and his words were really nothing more than inane ramblings. I didn't have a clue what terrible things he was talking about. Did he have me confused with somebody else? Maybe it was just the fact he was insane. I needed to get away from him, but how? I was hardly going to try something crazy like dashing for the front door. In my current state I stood no chance of being able to outrun him. The traps had taken too much out of me. All I could do for now was keep him talking and hope for a chance to get away.

"Terrible things? I don't know what you're talking about," I said, my voice quivering slightly.

"You were having such nice dreams, weren't you? I would sit by your side and listen to you talk in your sleep sometimes." The man paused and sighed. "I got tired of letting you sleep and thought I would let you wake up and leave you to the traps. It was better than letting you sleep for the rest of your life."

I was so confused by his words. Just what was he trying to say? I don't remember having any dreams while I was asleep down there for that matter. Why don't I remember my own kidnapping? I must have been taken while I was asleep. He could have drugged me and carried me off. I looked around and caught sight of a vase sitting upon an end table. It could come in useful, so I edged toward the table. Hopefully, I could get the chance to use the vase to smash him in the head then run for it. The man stepped toward me. I tensed.

"They are such impressive traps, aren't they? I built them myself of course," said the man, his eyes shining. "You put them to good use sometimes when you weren't entertaining yourself down there."

I stared blankly at him, my mouth hanging open. He was really, really crazy. He made Jessie look like the sanest person I had ever met, and even she could be pretty crazy. Even someone like Harley seemed completely normal compared to this guy.

He came even closer and I pressed myself against the wall uncomfortably. "They say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. That turned out to be true, didn't it?" His mouth widened and I heard him chuckle softly. "What were you dreaming about? Oh, I remember. You were on a journey as a Pokémon trainer. That must have been really exciting."

I was flabbergasted. There was something seriously wrong with this person. How could he even begin to insinuate my whole life was made up?

"Just shut up!" I shouted angrily. "You are insane!"

The man shook his head, gazing down at me. "It was a bad idea to let you wake up. You must have been having so much fun on your journey through Sinnoh with your Pikachu and your friends. It's too bad it was all just a dream, eh, son?"

The anger balled up inside me until I felt fit to explode. I just couldn't stand this creep. "I am not your son!" I shouted. "You are just a crazy psycho!" I clenched my fists so tightly that my fingernails dug into the palms of my hands. Take it easy, I reminded myself. Losing my cool wouldn't help here. "Why did you kidnap me?"

"Kidnap you?" The man seemed astonished at the thought. "I took care of you, keeping you asleep so that you wouldn't do terrible things anymore. The police might have caught on to you eventually. How many people did you have fun with down there? You even talked about them in your dreams as if they were your friends. Were they your friends on your journey? Was it some bizarre way of atoning for the cruel things you did?"

I realised how badly I was shaking. My face felt hot. I was just so angry with this creep for saying such ridiculous things and I knew I shouldn't be listening to him. I shouldn't let him poison my mind with his nonsensical babble. My hand strayed toward the vase. Maybe I had no choice but to use it now. He wasn't likely to turn his back on me.

I didn't want to believe it was possible that my journey could just have been a dream. It was just much too ridiculous. My mom, my friends, Pikachu and all my other Pokémon, they had to be real. To think I could have killed people is completely ridiculous. And dreaming up a whole new life for myself in which I befriend my victims? No! My friends were real. I shouldn't even have been paying attention to his garbage. Yet, there was a niggling worry at the back of my mind that just wouldn't leave me alone. What if he was telling the truth? That unpleasant thought wasn't something I wanted to dwell on.

My mouth was so dry I kept swallowing and licking my lips to no avail. My body was growing dangerously weak and I even started to feel a little dizzy, possibly from shock or fear, or even both. The guy's ramblings were making my head spin and I had to remind myself it was all just a twisted lie he was making up on the spot. The fact he knows I'm a trainer and I have a Pikachu doesn't mean anything. Pikachu is always with me. If I have a Pokémon with me, it's reasonable to assume I'm a trainer. That's all.

"You called yourself Ash, right?" The man was clearly not done torturing me mentally. His body was practically pressing into mine and it made me feel incredibly uncomfortable. "How amusing. That was the name of one of your victims. You even became him in your dreams. I wonder why?"

I could absolutely not take any more of this and so I took a risk. I grabbed the vase and chucked it at his face, which was difficult considering how close he was. The man saw it coming and dodged aside, putting distance between the two of us. I darted past him and ran toward the door in a last ditch effort to get away from him before he could fill my head with further trash. I knew it was a bad idea to try but I really was desperate.

His hand latched around my ankle and I pitched forward. Stars exploded in my eyes as my chin smashed into the floor and I groaned in pain. I rolled over onto my back and the guy was on top of me a second later, pinning me to the floor. I struggled and flailed at him in terror, believing that he was about to kill me.

The man smiled down at me as he reached into the inside of his jacket. I let out a horrified gasp as I saw him extract a syringe, no doubt filled with some kind of clear liquid. The needle glinted in the light as he held the syringe up.

"It's time for you to go back to sleep," the man whispered, his eyes seeming to light up as he prepared to drive the syringe home. The look on his face was almost demonic and I felt terrified just looking at his twisted features. "You want to see your friends again and go back on your journey in your dreams? I'll find more ways to kill you. Don't worry. You will definitely die one day."

I just stared up at him, frozen in fear. I couldn't believe all those things he had said. He had to be lying because he was a twisted maniac and he enjoyed messing with my mind like this. He took me from everybody and brought me to this house so that he could kill me. I was just somebody he chose at random to play sick games with. Pikachu, Brock and Dawn were waiting for me somewhere.

_I know that they couldn't possibly be a mere figment of my imagination. They are my dear friends and I must get back to them._

_I know who I am. I am Ash Ketchum, I was born in Pallet Town and I am the son of Delia Ketchum. I am a Pokémon trainer, aiming to become a Pokémon Master. That is the person I am and nobody else._

_There's no way that my life up until now could have been made up. I can't believe it. He's just trying to poison my mind because he's evil and I've got to get away from him before he can take me back down to that awful place._

My fist came flying so fast that he probably didn't even have a chance to see it coming. I drove it into his throat hard and he gagged, his eyes bulging out. His hand loosened on the syringe and I quickly snatched it out of his hand.

"The only one who's going to sleep is you!" I spat as I jammed the needle into his neck. I quickly forced my thumb down on the plunger, injecting him with whatever was inside that syringe. The man's expression contorted in fury then relaxed and his eyes drooped. He fell sideways to the floor with a loud thud and his eyes slid shut.

I scrambled out from underneath him and sat there, staring at the snoozing man in shock. My blood roared in my ears as it raced around my body, almost loud enough to drown out the sound of my rapid breaths. I shakily got to my feet, aware of how much I was trembling. I was a complete wreck no thanks to that psycho. Now that I had managed to take him down, it was time to get out of here.

I walked to the front door and twisted the knob, finding that the door opened easily as I pulled it. A rush of wind greeted me as the door opened and I inhaled deeply, relishing the fresh air that rushed into my lungs. The sunshine was warm and comforting as it bathed me when I stepped out onto the doorstep. I was relieved to get out of that house at last but the trouble wasn't over just yet. I wrapped my arms around myself in a tight hug, wishing that I had someone to comfort me. There was just a little further to go. I would be free soon.

At least the ordeal was over. I hoped so anyway. That man had to be lying, so why was there a shred of doubt in my mind? Did a part of me really think he might have been telling the truth? Could he have been? I didn't want to think that.

_I am Ash Ketchum._

_I know that, don't I?_

_Don't I?_

_Come on, why am I thinking like this? This isn't like me. Something is horribly wrong with me._

_It's just the shock of everything I've been through today and I'm tired. That's all._

_I nearly died so many times today. It's shaken me up a bit._

I couldn't just stand there thinking about it. That man could wake up soon and I wanted to be a long way from here when he did. There was no doubt in my mind that he would come after me right away. I hurried down the gravel path which led me to iron gates, open and waiting for me to pass through. Hopefully there were police stationed not too far from here then I could find Officer Jenny and tell her what happened.

If I made everything up, was Officer Jenny made up too?

_No! What am I thinking? I have got to stop thining like this. It isn't healthy. If I keep doing this, my mind will become even worse._

_I am so confused. I don't really know what I'm saying anymore. I'm really tired._

My body was growing so tired that I didn't want to run anymore but I couldn't give up. I passed the gates and found myself on a new path. I didn't know which way to go and chose left, hoping it would lead me to a nearby town. Those annoying thoughts continued to bother me, refusing to go away like the bothersome flies I had encountered earlier in the tunnel.

_What it wasn't a lie?_

I shook my head in disgust, struggling to force the dark thoughts back into the deep recesses of my mind. I may not have known who my father was but he was no psychopath and I'm sure of it. There is no way he could have been like that person. How could I be a killer? The very thought made me feel sick. I would never deliberately take another person's life, ever.

To think that my entire life could have been made up was ridiculous. It was just unthinkable. I tried to imagine what it would be like if everything had just been a figment of my imagination and felt a deep pang in my chest. It was just too cruel a thought and I didn't want to contemplate it. I had to believe it was real, that the man was lying, otherwise I might just have given up there and then. I would absolutely not do that. I needed to believe what my heart told me, not the ramblings of a demented psycho.

Why did he have to say all those things? He struck me when I was vulnerable and took advantage of my weakness. He preyed on my mind, knowing how tired I would be both in body and in mind after my ordeal. It just wasn't fair. Now I was confused and scared, almost driven mad by the words of a lunatic.

I did want to believe he was lying. I wanted to believe it so badly it hurt. The very idea of Pikachu being a dream, of me being a killer, how could I bear it? I didn't want it to be true.

_Please let it all be a lie. It has to be!_

My legs gave way beneath me without warning and I dropped to my knees, my hands slamming onto the ground. A moan of despair tore itself from deep within my body and my eyes flooded with tears. I was exhausted and in pain. My body had given up and I could no longer go any further. I desperately needed to rest and recover, but I just didn't have the time. I needed to get away fast before that creep woke up.

_Is it really going to end like this? How can that be?_

_Pikachu... am I ever going to see you again? You are waiting for me, aren't you?_

_I know you aren't just a dream. You are real. Everyone is real._

_How crazy would I have to be to actually dream up a whole new life for myself in which I befriended people I had killed in real life, even assuming one of their identities?_

_Yeah, that would be insane. That psycho had quite the imagination. It's like something out of a thriller novel._

_Hahahahahahahahahahahaha..._

The burst of laughter coming from my mouth surprised me. Why did I do that? There was nothing funny about this situation and yet there I was, laughing like someone who had lost their mind. Maybe I was starting to lose it.

I was so fed up. I was crying and laughing at the same time, hot tears slipping down my cheeks and splashing to the ground. I had been caught in the grip of hysteria, finding myself completely at a loss. I continued to sob between bursts of choked laughter, my sanity quickly slipping from me. I didn't care. It was easier to just let out my emotions. I wanted to scream as well but didn't even have the energy to do so.

I knew who I was, right? A madman couldn't possibly convince me otherwise. It occurred to me that he had dark hair, but so what? That didn't mean anything. Lots of people have dark hair and they couldn't all be related to me. There was no way he was my father. He was nothing more than a crazy person trying to play freaky mind games and it sure worked. I was even doubting my existence and struggling to hold onto the belief that he was lying.

I had been through too much today. I just couldn't take it anymore. I was feeling tired, scared and confused. Something was horribly wrong with me and I knew that. I couldn't afford to lose my mind at a time like this.

_I am Ash. I am nobody else._

_That is the truth, isn't it?_

_I must hold on._

_I need help._

_Somebody, please help me!_

_I don't know anything anymore. _

I wanted to believe I was real, my mom was real and my friends were real. I wanted to so badly. I wanted to be able to believe one hundred percent that my life wasn't a lie and my journey really did happen. No, it was still happening. I would get back to it as soon as I was safe and sound back with Brock, Dawn and Pikachu.

What if he was actually telling the truth? It would be much too sad and I know I couldn't bear it. I would rather die before finding out my whole life really was a dream. I didn't even want to think about it anymore. I just wanted to obey my body's wishes and fall asleep. What else could I do in this state?

_Pikachu... I hope I will see you again in my dreams. Please wait for me._

I closed my eyes and was about to lie my head on the ground and give in to exhaustion when I heard the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching. As I opened my eyes, I could see a pair of legs before me. I weakly raised my head to look up into the face of a young man. He looked concerned.

"Are you okay, kid?" he asked anxiously.

I was so tired at that point I could barely get myself to speak and I could feel my body growing even weaker. I couldn't stay awake much longer. I just said the first thing that came to mind.

"I am... Ash Ketchum..."

My eyelids had become heavy and I let them drop. I felt myself slipping away and didn't fight it. The darkness crept over me, pulling me away into a deep and dreamless sleep.

I briefly became awake again at one point. I could hear a faint beeping in the background. There was something covering my nose and mouth. My body felt like a lead weight and I couldn't even open my eyes.

"How could anybody do something like this?"

"I can't imagine what he must have been through."

The voices sounded so far away. I thought I knew who those voices belonged to, but my mind was like a thick, impenetrable fog. I tried to communicate to them that I was awake but I was unable to move a muscle or even make a sound. My eyes were still stubbornly refusing to open. I felt myself slipping away again back into the darkness.

A girl's shrill cry rang in my ears.

"Please don't kill me!"

She was so terrified of dying. I could hear it in her garbled voice choked with sobs. I felt sorry for her. Why did the girl have to die?

The blade of the axe hummed softly as it dropped toward her. I felt something wet and warm splash my face. The strong smell of iron pervaded my nostrils. The girl made a strange moaning sound and fell silent. I thought I could hear the sound of her body hitting the ground.

I realised that it was my hands wrapped around the handle of the axe. I was the one who had brought it down on her. My gut clenched in horror and revulsion. How could I have done such a thing?

Was this a nightmare? Or a memory?

It had to be a nightmare. I was in the hospital just a moment ago and I was sure I heard my friends' voices. Or was that a dream?

Which one was the reality? That I did not know anymore. I was almost afraid to wake up and find out.

I looked down and saw a row of bodies spread out across the ground. Their bodies had been painted a bright scarlet and their unblinking eyes stared up at me while their mouths gaped open in terror. Misty, Brock, May, Max, Tracey, Gary, Dawn.

Now it was my turn to scream.

I jolted awake with tears in my eyes, crying out weakly through the breathing mask strapped to my face. I was lying in a bed with crisp white sheets. A machine was softly beeping close by. A tube ran from my arm to a clear plastic bag full of liquid. I was back in the hospital, which I hoped was a good sign. I didn't think I was dreaming anymore but could I really be sure?

A hand touched my arm and a face framed by brown hair came into view. I blinked rapidly and my vision cleared, revealing Mom's smiling face. I felt light with happiness. My mom was here. Everything was okay now.

"Ash, are you okay?" she asked tenderly. "Did you have a bad dream?"

More tears flooded my eyes, but this time they were tears of joy. "Mom... this isn't a dream, is it?"

"Of course not, sweetie." Her arms wrapped gently around my body and I buried my face in her chest. Her embrace washed away all my troubles and made me feel happy. I didn't want her to let go. "You poor thing. Don't worry, it's over now."

"A bad man kidnapped me," I spoke weakly. "It was awful." I couldn't bring myself to speak about the terrible sights I saw and all the traps I had to go through. "He was crazy. He tried to put stuff in my head. Did the police get him?" I felt a flutter of panic, imagining him out there, waiting for another chance to grab me and take me back down to that terrible place.

"Yes, they did. He was a very dangerous person." Mom stroked my hair as she continued to hold me. "You were very lucky to get away from him. They said he was a serial killer who preyed on young trainers."

I thought her voice sounded a bit choked. "Are you crying?"

"I know this isn't the first time you've been in danger. Still, the thought of some madman trying to kill my baby hurts me so much." Mom exhaled deeply. "Sorry. I know you don't want to see me crying at a time like this. I'm just so glad that you're alright." She released me and sat back. I could see tears glimmering in her eyes.

"How long was I asleep?" I asked.

"You were in the hospital for two days. You had been missing since the night before when someone found you," she told me. "Brock and Dawn woke up to find you gone. They should be here soon. Visiting hours just began."

"He knew my name," I murmured. "He must have been watching us." I shuddered, thinking how he could have taken Dawn or Brock instead. Mom seemed to know what I was thinking and put a reassuring hand over mine.

I heard the sound of the door opening and looked up to see Dawn and Brock enter the room. They both looked happy to see that I was awake. Before I could even speak, a yellow blur had shot up onto the bed and flown into my arms. I hugged Pikachu so tightly that it let out a small squeak of protest.

"Hey, Pikachu. It's so good to see you again," I spoke in a muffled voice as I buried my face in its fur.

"Ash, you finally woke up." Dawn stood at my bedside, her eyes shining with tears. "We were so worried about you."

"How are you feeling?" Brock asked.

I smiled at them. Even after all I had been through, I felt unbelievably happy with my mom and my friends around me. I knew the experience was going to haunt me for a long time, but I wouldn't let it get me down too much. "I'm okay," I replied. "I'm just glad to be alive."


End file.
